Nemesia caerula cultivar xe2x80x98Nemlixe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia plant, botanically known as Nemesia caerula and referred to by the name xe2x80x98Nemlixe2x80x99.
The new Nemesia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Auckland, New Zealand. The objecive of the program is to create new compact Nemesia cultivars with numerous flowers and unique flower colors.
The new Nemesia originated from a cross by the Inventor of the Nemesia caerula cultivar xe2x80x98Pearlxe2x80x99, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Nemesia caerula cultivar xe2x80x98Delphixe2x80x99, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent on or about Oct. 30, 1998. The cultivar xe2x80x98Nemlixe2x80x99 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Auckland, New Zealand on or about Apr. 16, 1999.
Asexual reproduction of the new Nemesia by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Auckland, New Zealand since April, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Nemesia are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The new Nemesia has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of xe2x80x98Nemlixe2x80x99 and distinguish xe2x80x98Nemlixe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright, outwardly spreading and compact plant habit.
2. Freely branching habit.
3. Small green leaves.
4. Numerous light purple-colored flowers.
Plants of the new Nemesia differ primarily from plants of the female parent, the cultivar xe2x80x98Pearlxe2x80x99, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the the new Nemesia are more compact than plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Pearlxe2x80x99.
2. Plants of the new Nemesia are more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Pearlxe2x80x99.
3. Plants of the new Nemesia have light purple-colored flowers whereas plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Pearlxe2x80x99 have pale pink-colored flowers.
Plants of the new Nemesia differ primarily from plants of the male parent, the cultivar xe2x80x98Delphixe2x80x99, in flower color.
Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Blueberry Sachetxe2x80x99, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Nemesia differed from plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Blueberry Sachetxe2x80x99 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Nemesia were larger and more outwardly spreading than plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Blueberry Sachetxe2x80x99.
2. Plants of the new Nemesia had lighter green foliage than plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Blueberry Sachetxe2x80x99.
3. Plants of the new Nemesia had light purple-colored flowers whereas plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Blueberry Sachetxe2x80x99 had blue-colored flowers.